Samuel Huntington wrote,
“Political leaders imbued with the hubris to think that they can fundamentally reshape the culture of their societies are destined to fail. While they can introduce elements of Western culture, they are unable permanently to suppress or eliminate the core elements of their indigenous culture. Conversely, the Western virus, once it is lodged in another society, is difficult to expunge. The virus persists but is not fatal; the patient survives but is never whole. Political leaders can make history but they cannot escape history. They produce torn countries; they do not create Western societies. They infect their country with a cultural schizophrenia which becomes its continuing and defining characteristic.”
I think Huntington’s view is correct. Assuming it is, we can adapt his principle to ourselves as follows. Our American culture is founded on individual liberty as expressed in the Declaration of Independence. Freedom, and all of the consequences, legal expressions and behaviors that flow from the foundation of freedom make up the historical and dominant culture of America. Socialism is opposed to freedom because it requires that the freedom of all citizens be abridged to support the state’s redistribution of wealth, and the state’s behavioral dictates. And politicians who impose socialism on America may temporarily succeed in suppressing freedom, do economic damage, inflict poverty and create harm. Ultimately, however, our American culture of freedom will re-surge and prevail. Our cultural nature is the dominant force that we cannot escape.
No matter how many socialist programs the American left pile up, the nature of their programs will remain opposed to our culture. I admire the left’s tenacity and passion, however, I really wish they would apply their efforts to something that had the potential to actually succeed.
Pay close attention as the stimulus package results come in. Blame will be liberally doled out to Bush, conservatives, Bush, Republicans, Bush, Christians, Bush and um, oh yeah, Bush. They won’t for a moment recognize the fundamental antagonism between socialism and our free culture.